It’s July already but I started writing this in June. June, what a beautiful month that is. The greens are so intense green after a long winter. Sparkling and fresh. So many different shades. Unbelievable. A Great Creator who is the designer of this. It’s like a striking painting. All horses are on pasture finally. After the long winter months that is the most beautiful thing.
In foal after the first insemination…..with frozen semen
To see the foals frolic around their mom. Chasing each other, yes they play a lot! Of course, they are close in age. At first the mothers were a bit worried, but now they let their kids play to their hearts contend. Both mares have been bred again. To the same stallions, Nane 492 and Matthys 504. I still had some frozen semen from those handsome boys. Both caught first try! I could barely believe it! It’s a miracle. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
Wiecke and Uniecke (Picture: Elly Verhulst)
Because we just have a small breeding farm, one of the horses needs to be sold.. The decision falls on Reneke (Tonjes 459 x Tsjalle 454) Wunders foal from last year. She is a tall, big moving filly, who recently found her new owner. It is always a hard decision. It helps when you know it’s going to be a good home. It is just a bit easier to raise two of the same age.
Reneke (Tonjes 459 x Tsjalle 454) Picture: Inge de Haan
Getting ready, horses and people!
Inspection preparations are in full swing. Horses being shod, coggins tests done, hotels booked, approaching sponsors etc. Lots of meetings via video messenger. All extra things that keep me busy. Hence the delay for this blog. First cut, almost done. Waiting on nice weather for dry hay for square bales and some roundbale haylage. It’s a good growing season. Second cut is on its way. Busy with breeding, taking care of the foals, teaching them to tie and lead, coaching and training horses for the inspection. Jiselle MF (Hessel 480 x Jakob 302) owned by Sheree is here to be prepared for the inspection and gentled to ride. She is a sweet, long bodied mare with ground covering gates. At the start of every training I always ask for the horses teeth to be checked. This 3 year old had five caps (baby teeth) removed by the vet. That will go a long way to accepting the bit and eating all her meals!
Teeth that were removed.
Together to the inspection
Her pasture mate is Juniper (Thorben 466 x Tonjes 459) They get along well. Two very different mares. June is more compact and light on her feet, with a quick hindleg. Very motivated to work. Looking forward to see how these girls will turn out under saddle in the future.
Challenges
Inspection arrangements. It’s quite a challenge. Even more so because we didn’t have an inspection since 2018, and we never know when the next one will be! It could be two years or longer, no reinspection option here either. But our biggest challenge by far is finding runners. A good runner can make a significant difference. We tried hard but were not successful. Ontario and Quebec were in the same boat. Our sites are small and to travel here is expensive. Thank goodness things got sorted. My cousin Germ Aise was able to convince J and J to come help us out. A nice trip we think! We will try our best to make it a great experience for all!
Our little group has grown. Three from the four Friesian owners from PEI will go to the Inspection in NS. When there we will meet more proud owners from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Looking forward to a great time.
World Friesian Tour
Before the inspection, we will participate in a group trail ride first. So we can log our distance for the World Friesian Tour! Interesting fact, my sister is a member of the Friesian Horse Association in Sweden, who came up with this tour. Small world 😉
Trail ride with Inge ande Jinte. Beautiful world from between the ears of Wiecke!
